Frozen Heart
by Aozoran
Summary: Trapped in human country close to death, Conrart Weller has a choice to make about his future. Whether to let his half-breed status rule him or to challenge those who have judged him with the help of a dark haired rescuer. Conyuu
1. Part 1: Cold

**Author's Note: Well... I couldn't help myself! Here I am again with another Conyuu! This one will more than likely have a different feel to it than After Dark as it will be Conrart who will carry the past more than Yuuri. In this one Yuuri is about the same age as Conrart, or at least in growth. **

**This is set 40 years before Yuuri came to the Great Demon Kingdom in Canon. This is based on the time Conrart spent as a travelling swordsman (as specified in Episodes 19 and 20 of the series), so this is before the academy and well before the war ever would take place, but after Dan Hiri Weller's death. **

**Disclaimer: Definitely own Arel XD I always did see Yuuri as a Dog person!  
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><p><strong>Lelwin, Samiria<strong>

Cold.

It was the only sensation he could feel, the overwhelming rush of ice cold fingers touching every inch of his body, seeping through his clothes and numbing his flesh. A hand pressed against his side, feeling the edges of the jagged wound that he had taken during a battle against raiders who had wanted to steal what little food the villagers still possessed. The blood which had seeped out of his wound had frozen his clothes stiffly to the deep slash, standing out a deep crimson against the blue of his shirt.

Air came out in wispy puffs from his lips as he desperately tried to pull air into his body, yet even breathing felt like he was being soured with shards of sharp glass that cut through the fragile tissues of his lungs. Even the burning agony that had coursed through him had dulled to a painful raw ache, the numbness seeping continually in.

He couldn't even call for help.

No one would hear him… and even though he had come to the defence of the humans it was doubtful they would even bother with him having witnessed the fact he was Demon Tribe in his small use of magic… His flimsy shield had not been enough to prevent the blade from catching him, though enough to prevent it cutting out his heart.

With a strange assurance, Conrart Weller knew he would die there in the alleyway, alone in the frosty air of some human village that he didn't even know the name of. His family would never know. No one would ever know what had become of him. He would disappear from the world without anyone remembering his name. The snow would claim him, cover his body and no one would find him until the late spring thaw… and they would just dispose of his body…

_No one would care. _

All he had wanted was a chance to prove he had lived that others like him would also know that they could be more than just their mixed blood and shunned position amongst their own people.

Another flutter of shivers rippled through his body, his eyelids drooping closed, his body beginning to sag once more, the white powder slowly beginning to settle over his body and legs. The pure white flakes covered the stains and streaks of crimson that had frozen across the alley way stones, the marks that showed that Conrart had been attempting to drag himself out into the street… to at least… so someone would find him.

Suddenly there was a sound of muffled barking, or at least a sound that made him think of… His cinnamon eyes blinked slightly, his ice covered lashes sticking together as he attempted to open them once more.

"Arel!"

A voice suddenly pierced through the veil of whiteness and brown walls that surrounded him, it was… sweet. The sound of it travelling through his soul in a way he could not quite explain, his heart cracking open, wanting to hear someone call his own name in that tone of exasperated affection… or with any affection at all…

"_Arel_, come here…"

The crunch of hard soled boots on icy stone sounded closer, Conrart's sluggish heart picked up pace, a flutter of hope flaring briefly through him. _Maybe_… but at that thought, everything shattered within him, none would bother with him.

"What… the…"

Footsteps were slowly coming closer, the pace picking up quickly as the wind brushed at the snow that had collected over the pools of blood that glinted a brilliant crimson against the dull glassy grey of the stones just past him. There was also the soft pad of paws coming nearer to where he was half hidden by the jutting edge of the building he rested against.

Something warm suddenly touched against his chilled cheek, the brilliant ebony black of the beast's pelt stood out against the icy white of the snow, large glacial blue eyes seemed to study him with curiosity. And then a flash of pink darted out and ran the length of his cheek once more, sending hot stabs of pain flaring through his once frozen cheek, the ice melting under the licking he was receiving from the surprisingly big beast.

"Arel, what are you doing?"

Suddenly the large head that had been filling his vision was pulled away, the warmth of that thickly furred body being replaced with the icy chill of the day. A man stood there, hand curled into the thick leather collar that ran the length of the wolf hound's neck, keeping the animal restrained as he gazed down at Conrart for one long heartbeat.

Cinnamon met… obsidian. The colour was so dark it seemed to consume everything within Conrart for that heartbeat, consume him with the wide dark depths that drowned him. Fear stirred within Conrart, an emotion he rarely felt, but in that moment knowing that death was only minutes away for him, he was desperate… desperate… to…

His hand lifted, stretching out towards the man before him, using what strength remained within his trembling limbs to reach for the stranger whom had come upon him. There was shock in those beautiful dark eyes, which were widening as they gazed down to Conrart's outstretched fingers. The hope that had been reduced to embers seemed to be crushed even more at the hesitation this man seemed to possess, his weakness was overwhelming as their eyes met once more across what now seemed a vast distance.

"… Help… me…" It was a thready whisper that escaped him. His world fragmenting even more… shattering like glass dropped against stone.

Just as his hand dropped, it was caught in a solid grip, a warm glove curling around his larger fingers, holding them gently. The heat of the touch seared up through Conrart's frozen body as he watched the man drop to his knees beside him, worry suddenly filling those obsidian depths, worry for him.

"By Shinou…" The man whispered softly, his expression turning horrified as he brushed the snow away from Conrart's deep wound and at Conrart's raw hands, which were lacerated from the sharp ice along the length of the alleyway. His head turned back towards the street, actually seeing several people pass by in those few moments, anger flaring in those dark eyes which were so expressive. "_How could they_…"

By the small curse the man had whispered, a tremulous hope started in Conrart's belly, this man was Demon Tribe. There might just be hope for him… _hope_… It almost made him laugh.

"Arel." The man hissed sharply as he shoved the dog's dark head away as it attempted to nose in closer to Conrart. "Not now."

The thick fleece lined cloak the man had been wearing was suddenly being tugged free of slender shoulders, an arm catching Conrart's shoulders lightly and drew the fabric around him, cocooning him in such warmth that the shivers that had began to die as hypothermia set in returned with the vengeance. Conrart's teeth were literally chattering now.

"I can't tend to you here… I would but…" Tugging off one glove with his teeth, a warm palm cupped Conrart's cheek lightly, thumb sweeping over his skin softly, feeling the deep chill that had settled into him from the hours he had been there abandoned in the snow.

The dark eyed Tribesman yanked at his thick outer parker, undoing the lashings and slipping out of it to drop it over Conrart's legs, before shifting the white woollen tunic off over his head, leaving him in just a dark coloured shirt. The tunic however was soon being sliced with a short knife that had been kept in the man's boot, the beautiful soft fabric being slashed up into long strips that were soon being wrapped around the deep wound in Conrart's side and tugged tightly into place over the glove that had actually been used as a seal the wound and soak up any blood.

"Do you think you could stand?" The man questioned Conrart, shifting in close and fastening the clasp of the cloak at Conrart's throat so that it would shield his body from view once he was standing. Slipping an arm beneath one broad shoulder, the thinner man was hefting most of Conrart's weight upwards, boots sliding slightly on the slick ground as he struggled to shift his bulk up from the ground where a pool of dark blood still stained the ground.

Each movement tore at his deep wound, a fresh wash of warmth spread through the frozen closed wound, feeling the hotness seeping out and into the fabric of that glove but no further. Groaning softly, he staggered a little, his legs wanting to buckle out from under him, but he felt the large wolf hound press against his other side, preventing him from falling to the other side as he was slowly helped from the alleyway. His head dropped sharply, swaying dangerously on his feet as he felt the hood being drawn up over his head to protect him from the eyes of those who were suddenly watching them with speculation.

Conrart couldn't help but be amazed. This young man whom was pressed against his side was protecting him, unaware of anything about him, but the fact that he had been wounded and left to die out in the snow like some kind of animal. The realisation struck him, others had seen him, as he had clawed his way from the dark shadows of the alleyway towards the light from the main street… people… humans had seen him… but ignored his suffering.

An arm dropped from where he had shifted Conrart's arm around his shoulder, to drop his grip to his waist, a hand subtly shifting so that he could actually apply pressure to Conrart's wound even though it stung badly, it helped to slow the dangerous amount of bleeding.

His vision was beginning to blur as they approached the Inn on the outskirts of the village, his head dropping forwards to rest against his chest as everything within him protested each and every movement. It was a struggle to stay on his feet, his limbs so numb they felt like jelly beneath him.

And the last thing he was aware of was that beautiful voice so close to his ear as darkness swept in to claim him.

"Don't worry. I have you, you're safe with me."

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><p>"Arel."<p>

The black wolf hound's head lifted from where it had been resting on his paws on the end of the bed, ears perked upwards slightly at the sound of his name. Tail twitching slightly as his head was stroked by the man's free hand, the large dog understood the command before it was given, dropping from the end of the bed to the floor before going to settle on the rug before the fire crackling in the nearby hearth.

Smiling softly to himself, he carefully set down the tray he had brought up from the dining room on the first floor, regarding the soup and freshly cooked bread that was soaking in it, softening the coarse grained loaf. He had always been grateful to have the large wolf hound with him, Arel was a good protector and would guard anything the man signalled him to. The wolf hound apparently didn't mind guarding the man he had found several streets away nearby dead from exposure and blood loss.

Yuuri Shibuya regarded the man with curiosity, taking in the strikingly handsome features of a man who appeared to be the same age as himself. From the strong boned face to the determined set of his jaw, the man's long wild locks spread out over the pillows of the bed, dropping all the way to brush against broad shoulders. Though the paleness of what appeared to be naturally tawny gold skin told him it would be a few days before this man completely recovered…

"What are you looking at?" Yuuri almost laughed as his dog's head tipped to the side giving him an almost questioning look, one ear perked up while the other flopped down adorably.

Arel was almost looking like he was asking, _'Are you checking him out?' _

"I'm not." Lips twitching slightly, he shook his head, though his gaze was immediately drawn back to the man's face, a low whine escaping Arel and making him give the dog a short look. "I am not… I'm just…"

Tail immediately wagging, flopping back and forth across the edge of the rug.

Yuuri almost groaned at the sight, knowing he had practically lost the battle against the mutt. "Alright." Blowing out a breath, he brushed back long strands that slipped out from beneath the fleece lined cap he wore in the traditional styles of the locals. "_Alright_." Rolling his eyes as he shifted his weight from foot to foot, he dropped to sit on the edge of the bed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "I find him interesting."

Arel's tongue lolled out, the wolf hound looking far too pleased with himself, tail wagging almost non-stop, bemusement flashing in the mutt's sharp blue eyes. The intelligence there was something that most never expected, but Yuuri had always found himself talking to the dog since their paths had crossed two years before.

The long braided raven strands brushed down across Yuuri's spine, reaching down to the small of his back and almost slipping forwards over his shoulder as he leaned in to check the man's temperature, relieved that some warmth had returned to him in the intervening hours. Drawing the blanket down slowly, he carefully drew away the thick poultice that rested over the deep slide that had almost taken the man's life, relieved that the colour was still a raw red showing the cold hadn't damaged too much of the flesh around the jagged wound.

Fingers reaching out to carefully lift one of the larger ones, he rubbed his thumb across the back of the bandaged palms, a fine blue radiance dusting itself across the back and seeping into the man's body. The healing energy had been at work since he had gotten the man safely inside earlier, but he was still careful with its use, the last thing he needed was an Esoteric user to pick up on his presence through his use of magic.

He could feel also feel the magic clinging to the man he had brought back with him, the reservoir of untapped potential that shimmered bright and heavy and almost sent a spark of electricity jolt all the way through him. It was surprising and strangely a relief.

"So… what do you think of him, Arel?" Yuuri leaned back slightly where he rested on the edge of the bed, head cocked slightly to the side, regarding the wolf hound questioningly. "You were always good at judging people." And something that had saved Yuuri's skin far more often than he cared to admit to practically anyone. Yuuri's nature got him neck deep into trouble more often then not, but Arel had always had his back, ready to defend him no matter the situation. "Have we got ourselves a good one?"

A soft whine escaped the wolf hound, blue eyes moving from Yuuri's face to that of the sleeping man's, then back, before that tongue was lolling back out again.

"What was that meant to mean?" One raven brow lifted in question.

That tail thumped once, the dog almost seeming to laugh in quiet amusement that left Yuuri completely baffled.

"Good or bad?"

A soft 'woof' escaped the mutt.

Laughing softly, Yuuri leaned down with his hands reaching out towards the large wolf hound, feeling the large black head soon press against his palms, the warm weight of front paws resting on his knees, his arms wrapped tightly around the thick neck, hugging the large dog to him, feeling the damp nose tickle against his cheek. Life was _good_.

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><p>The first sensation that stuck him was the warmth. It was like a brilliant burst of all sunshine falling over his exhausted body, tickling over every inch of his skin, seeping into his soul, almost teasing him.<p>

"Stay away from that bowl."

He knew that voice, his heart fluttered slightly at the sound, the warmth soaking into him more deeply at the sound, though the words didn't quite register.

"I already brought you dinner."

There was a soft splash of water, the slide of silky skin against cool porcelain. The scent of ocean spray and summer flowers tickled his nose and Conrart Weller couldn't help but inhale, his chest rising quickly with the action. Sleep was slowly lifting from his senses and his memories… his heart lurching suddenly at the memory of that beautiful face filling his vision, the warm hand against his cheek amongst the cold bleakness of that alleyway that had promised him certain death. He was still alive.

A jolt of pain skittered up his side from the deep wound along his side, though he immediately wanted to reach for it, the vicious stinging in his hands warned him it wouldn't be a good idea.

His eyes blinked open, the lids feeling surprisingly heavy. The light was almost blinding, even though it was only from a single candle sitting by his side on a table that contained rather enticing pieces of food. Even though it was poor quality fare it was still something that made him hunger for a taste.

There was a soft whine from the floor beside the bed he was in, his gaze dropped to the wolf hound who sat beside the bed, head cocked in the most adorable manner as if pleading to be given the food in the bowl. The dog's tail wagged slowly, the tip of it twitching and tapping softly against the wooden floorboards.

"_Arel_… I better not find you eating his dinner."

Immediately Conrart's gaze tracked the origin of that voice and his jaw almost wanted to drop in awe. Rising from the bath he could see through the half open doorway, a slender young man was dripping wet, his pale skin flushed with colour from the hot water. Long waves of rich raven strands tumbled around slender shoulders, the fine length clung to the damp skin, hugging the elegant and lithe muscles of the sleek body. He was getting a perfect view of that nakedness as the young man stepped from the bath and onto the tiled floor, long hair sweeping back and forth slightly while those hips rolled and swayed with the easy gait of a man who knew…

Swallowing around the sudden lump in his throat, he tried to pry his eyes away from the gorgeous young man who was drawing a towel around him and moving towards the doorway but failed miserably.

The moment the door opened, those obsidian eyes widened slightly at the sight of him conscious and attempting to sit up a little, before offering him a smile that would have knocked Conrart's feet out from under him. Maybe he had indeed died and gone straight to…

"I'm very glad to see you awake, I was a little worried you would remain unconscious for the rest of the night…" Drawing the large towel around slender hips, the young man moved gracefully forwards, the firelight just behind him playing golden shadows over the pale flesh. He was something exotic and a Double-Black. "I'm Julius."

The name didn't match those enchanting dark eyes, the sweeping angles of the man's gorgeous features.

"…" Conrart opened his mouth and shut it instantly. For the first time in his life, he was knocked speechless by the man before him, his cinnamon eyes sweeping along the length of that body once more, shifting slightly in an attempt to ease the response in his body that definitely shouldn't be happening.

Two black brows lifted in question, the towel wearing man clearly not realising the fact that he was naked beneath it and standing there for all the world to stare at. The corner of the man's lip twitched upwards, amusement sparkling in the obsidian eyes. "Mute?"

Conrart's brain short-circuited.

Soft laughter escaped those enchanting lips, Yuuri unable to keep back the sound as he just gazed into the beautiful cinnamon eyes that seemed to gaze straight into his soul and leave him tingling all over in pleasure. "You were talking before…" Though concern soon flickered across his expression as he sat down on the edge of the bed, one hand reaching out towards Conrart, pale fingers outstretched and was surprised to see the man actually flinch away from the touch.

Conrart had learned quickly enough that most Demon Tribe found his half breed status to be… almost insulting. He had seen it enough from his own brother, the slap of the boy's hand, shoving his away. _Filthy human._ It still echoed within his skull, the pain of being in a place that no one truly wanted him, his mother had not known what to do with him.

Yuuri's hand dropped from where it had reached out for the other man, his expression softening slightly as he took in the shadows that haunted the man's silver flecked gaze. "You don't need to tell me. It is enough to see you awake again and your colour much improved." Giving him a gentle smile, he le this hand drop to rest on the bed… and almost looked startled when a bandaged hand slipped across the sheets to carefully rest on top of his own, their fingers lacing together slightly.

"Thankyou… for saving my life."

A light squeeze was given to Yuuri's fingers, as if attempting to convey in that one movement so many hidden emotions and unspoken words.

"You're quite welcome. Do you have a name?"

"Conrart Weller."

Dark eyes looked thoughtful for a moment, as if attempting to place the name. "Sounds familiar…"

"I'm a man of little importance."

"For some reason, I doubt that."

"Your name…" Conrart hesitated slightly, looking into those beautiful dark eyes that seemed to look at him without a hint of disgust or true recognition. "It… it doesn't sound right."

"Clever man." Yuuri's free hand reached down to stroke behind the ears of the wolf hound that had remained there by the bed. "My name is Yuuri Shibuya, but considering how unusual my name actually is, I usually use the name Julius in human country. You can call me whatever you like… I don't mind either." The wolf hound let out a soft whine, tail twitching as if begging to be introduced. "And this is Arel, my travelling companion. And someone who is always hungry."

"Yuuri." He tasted the name on his tongue and nodded slightly, actually finding that the name actually did suit the beautiful man before him. His hand lifted from where it rested lightly over the slender one, stretching out slowly and touched the long fall of raven locks, lingering softly against them, feeling them curl over his fingertips.

Head turning slightly to glance down at what Conrart was doing, Yuuri offered him a small smile, not doing anything to stop him and welcoming the touch. "You should eat, Conrart." Reaching out for the bowl of soup and soaked bread, he brought it over to the bed, his head tipping slightly to the side as he just smiled up at him in that gentle way of his. "Do you want help, or should I leave it to you?" His gaze dropped to Conrart's bandaged hands, then back up to the man's face. "I'm not going to judge you, Conrart. I can tell that you are a good man and that I made the right choice bringing you back here. Whatever your reasons for…" A hand gestured towards the bandaged wounds the man sported. "That… I won't pry. I'll be here in Lelwin for a few days and by the end of my stay… you should be well enough to rejoin the world. So until then… just enjoy my hospitality."

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><p><strong>Yep XD Yuuri is himself XD or at least... a compassionate, friendly man XD And Conrart is lost! The poor thing. But as before with "After Dark", If people like it, I'll continue writing it, though more slowly than I did the last story as I have others to work on and Uni to attend soon. So... what do you people think of Frozen Heart?<strong>


	2. Part 2: Trust

**Author's Note: Sorry I took so long getting this up. My brain has been jumping between Transformers and KKM all week and driving me nuts XD This story wasn't even meant to exist. BUTTTTTTTT so much for my brain... I can't help myself seriously!  
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**Disclaimer: Own Arel XD YAAY!**

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><p><strong>Lelwin, Samiria<strong>

Yuuri Shibuya woke slowly, his brain fuzzy and resisting any of his attempts draw himself out of the warm cocoon his sleep offered him. Something was brushing across his head, it was gentle almost tender in the slow caresses. A breathlessly happy little sigh slipped from his lips, while his obsidian eyes began to drift open, the light almost stinging them, making him burrow his face more into what he had previously assumed was his pillow. A pillow that had a heartbeat and ropes of sinuous muscle tensing and relaxing beneath the firm skin.

The moment his 'pillow' felt him stir, the hand immediately jerked back and the soothing caresses stop, a startled sound of protest erupted from between his lips at that. Yuuri starting to struggle internally against the pull of sleep, his eyes blinking rapidly, attempting to clear the blinding light from them…

"I'm sorry."

The words vibrated up through the chest beneath Yuuri's head, making him turn more into the large body that was resting against his own, his face pressed more into the silky smooth flesh. His nose filled with the hot scent of the man, everything within him thrumming in response to the sharp powerful jolt of attraction he couldn't deny. "Keep going." He managed to grit out, eyes closing tightly against the light that felt like it was spearing right into his brain. He had definitely used more power that he should have the day before and was feeling the affects of it in his body and only that touch had soothed him enough to allow him to rest.

There was a hesitation, the body against Yuuri's tensing as if waiting to be struck… and the bliss poured back into him. Strong calloused fingers threaded into his long raven locks, sweeping down through them, fingertips rubbing along the top of his scalp, easing the pressure, releasing all the tension that had been coiled inside him with a rush.

"Are you well?"

Yuuri melted at the sound of that concern, knowing that all of it was for him, his free hand stretched slightly, feeling the slight stickiness clinging to his palm where it had been pressed against what should have been a mortal wound. The sword had slashed deep through Conrart's liver, meaning that the bleeding would not have stopped no matter how much pressure was placed on the wound as it had been punctured clean through. It had only been through the semi-sealing of the wounds by the frozen blood that had prevented the man from having bled out along before Yuuri had gotten to him.

"I'm just a little worn out, over-tapped my magic…" Allowing his fingers to drift back down to the covered wound, he shifted slightly, his body sliding slowly against Conrart's as he finally managed to open his eyes and gaze down at the poultice covered wound.

Conrart's palm rested against the small of Yuuri's back, while cinnamon eyes took in the beautiful body which was practically sprawled over him. The freed waves of raven curls were sliding off of the pale skin and down onto his own chest, teasing him with each movement of the long length across his flesh.

Drawing the poultice away from the wound, he carefully examined the edges of the closing over wound, checking that it was knitting together well before shifting back onto his knees. "How…?" It was quiet question barely breathed out.

"The raiders yesterday. I was passing through and… I attempted to help during the battle." More than that, he had practically faced them single-handedly. Conrart Weller was a man who had been born to wield a sword and to protect even if they were humans.

"More like scared them all away on your own…" A fingertip lightly stroked across the slight stubble that stretched across one tawny cheek, thumb sweeping over the raspy skin, appreciating the contact. "They were talking about a Demon Tribesman… one that 'vanished' right after the fight…" Taking the length of the powerful body in with curious obsidian eyes, he could definitely appreciate the muscular frame and the strength in his body. "Actually they said that their men chased away both the bandits and the Tribesman, claiming that…" His nose wrinkled slightly, he shook his head. "I doubt any of those men lifted a finger to defend their own village."

Opening his mouth to say something, he swallowed hard when Yuuri's face appeared only a few inches from his own, those dark eyes practically hypnotising him and stealing whatever he had been just about to say.

"Sometimes… I wonder if some of them aren't just _animals_…" Jaw clenching slightly, he dropped back onto the bed beside Conrart, long hair pooling beneath him, dark against the dull white of the sheets. "Even when you protected them, they just… left you to die so that they…" Fists clenched at the callousness and brutality of these people.

"My belongings…"

"I'm afraid they were stolen, Arel and I looked for them yesterday, but there was nothing left." Rolling onto his side, Yuuri's chin came to rest on Conrart's shoulder, the dark haired man considering the man before him. And the small selfish part of Yuuri wanted to keep Conrart with him, it had been a very long time since he had found himself interested in another person and the thought of this man leaving him… He shoved that thought as far away as possible, not wanting to even consider it for a second. "I have an offer for you."

That made Conrart's brows lift sharply in surprise, gazing down at the beautiful Tribesman sprawled out in the sheets beside him wearing nothing but loose cotton pants that hung low around those slender hips. "What kind of offer?"

"One that would benefit both of us." Yuuri rubbed his cheek against the broad shoulder, practically purring at the contact between their skin, it was like silken lightning, electric and sizzling hot, sparks of magic flared and flickered invisibly about them. "I need a protector and you need money and new clothes."

Cinnamon eyes softened as he gazed down at Yuuri, knowing that this young man would have given him anything he had needed if he had but asked for it. Money or aid… he had offered his own bed and also tended to him himself when he had no need to. "Yes."

And with that single word a partnership was formed.

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><p>"Conrart!" A hand shook at the man's shoulder attempting desperately to rouse him, boots thumping hard around the bed as personal items were being collected hurriedly and shoved into water-proofed saddle bags. The blankets were wrenched down and away from the man, the bed bouncing slightly as Arel leapt up onto it beside Conrart and nuzzled the man's face with a wet nose and a warm rasping tongue. "Conrart!" Yuuri hissed, pausing by the window and staring out at the street beyond around the edge of the curtains.<p>

The still healing swordsman groaned softly, his eyes blinking in the darkness of the room, a hand lightly pushing the muzzle of the dog away. Just to end up with a shirt and pants thumping lightly into his face and over his head, blinding him once more and jerking him into full wakefulness.

"Yuuri?" Drawing the clothes off his head, he was sliding the shirt on, though he almost wanted to wince as pain radiated outwards from the still healing wound to his side where a sword had almost gone straight through him. The skin around it being tugged roughly by his actions. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he was slipped the loose flannel pants off and tugged on the thick woollen ones, belting it at his hips. "What's the matter?"

Cinnamon eyes watched the beautiful dark haired man finish his hurried packing, dumping the bags by the door and carried a pair of thick leather boots over to him. Worry creased Conrart's brows as he gazed down in shock as thick protective socks were being slipped over his bare feet by those nibble hands, followed by boots, the end of his pants tucked into the tops before they were buckled tightly into place.

"Keep dressing. We don't have much time."

Finishing buttoning the shirt, he slipped on first the leather vest and then a winter fleece lined jacket. He had never seen Yuuri so agitated in all the time they had been together over the last three days. Though he didn't protest when it was Yuuri who belted a brand new sword and its sheath at his hips, when the man finished his dark eyes flashed Conrart an apologetic look, his palm stroking across where he knew the deep wound was still painfully tender.

"I'll explain everything later… I promise. However, right now, we need to get on the road and out of this village."

Yuuri was offering out the thick cloak to Conrart, urging the man to put it on as he whistled and Arel came bounding past Conrart, before following the quick gesture from Yuuri and returning to the tall brown haired half-blood. The large wolf hound was pressed up against his wounded side, and Conrart's fingers actually curled into the dog's thick leather collar grateful for the support the massive creature was offering knowing he wouldn't be able to remain long on his feet. Blood loss still affected him badly, leaving him dizzy and weak, too weak to protect Yuuri properly.

Hefting the bags, he slung one over a shoulder, Yuuri gesturing for Conrart to pause just inside the doorway as he stuck his head out into the hall, the long raven braid hidden beneath the long fall of his white winter cloak. "Its clear." One of Yuuri's gloved hands curled around Conrart's free one, drawing the man along behind him as they were hurriedly moving down the passageway and towards the back set of stairs.

Taking them quietly, he hovered over his new partner like a hawk, quite willing to guard him from anything that would attack them if it came down to it. He frozen on the bottom step, glancing back at Conrart and held a finger to his lips, as they heard the rumble of voices just by the wooden door that lead out towards the stables that sat in the courtyard behind the Inn.

"You should have finished that Demon Tribesman when you had the chance, Varnic." The tone was harsh, biting, like the bitter winter cold that shrouded the hills and trails around Lelwin. The crack of flesh meeting flesh made Yuuri visibly wince. "I told you to slay that _thief_. Rashda's men almost did the job for you… how difficult is it for you to lop of the man's head and bring it as proof?"

"He was as good as dead…" The man referred to as Varnic whined, voice lisping slightly from the stinging blow he had apparently taken. "Mich got him good. Bled like a stuck pig."

Yuuri silently cursed as his head lifted to regard Conrart Weller with a pained look, the dark soulful eyes wide and surprisingly apologetic with the realisation that everything that had happened to Conrart had been a well laid trap, one that had been intended for Yuuri Shibuya. It was his fault Conrart had been wounded so gravely and left to bleed out in the snow.

Conrart stood frozen as he heard the words, his mind whirling as he gazed down at Yuuri attempting to understand what had been said and how… It was his heart that clenched first, looking into that obsidian gaze any anger he could have felt towards the beautiful young man melted away into nothingness. The thought that it could have been this generous and kind soul out there in the cold, _dead_… it made him want to wretch violently. Whatever was going on, he knew there must be a good explanation for it all, he trusted Yuuri, if there was nothing more he could do, he would trust the man who had pulled him out of the gutters and done everything he could to heal him without knowing that this had occurred, that a mistake had been made.

Relief flared in Yuuri as Conrart eased down beside him, fingertips lightly brushed against his pale cheek, a silent sign between them that no matter what they were together in this.

* * *

><p>Arel streaked across the yard, powerful movements silent and the large black wolf hound dropped to his belly by the stable doorway, his ears pricked upwards at the faint whistled instructions, his muscles bunched together, tensing and waiting for the signal to pounce. Across by the door, he could just see his master, the faint outline of him silhouetted by the light just behind him from the candles in the stairwell, the flick of two fingers made him inch forwards just a little.<p>

The canine's sensitive hearing picked up the sound of two pairs of boots moving around within the stables, the harsh voices of the two men he had picked up on earlier, two he recognised from several days before on their last mission. Their scents filtered out from underneath the closed door, overpowering even the biting tang of horse, straw and manure that filled the crisp night air. Slowly it was growing stronger as the two men approached the door again, just on the other side of it.

The wide door's hinges squeaked loudly in protest as they swung outwards, pinning the man between the couched dog and the door, the moment the second man came through and the whistle sounded clear and strong through the night air, he pounced. With a good hundred pounds of force behind him, taking the man down with a low snarl, teeth sinking into one shoulder and sliced through fabric. Head shaking from side to side with such force, the shoulder popped out of its socket, the man's head hitting the cobbled stone paving with a sharp crack and he lay still and stunned.

By the time the second man had reacted to what had happened, Yuuri and Conrart were already half way across the courtyard from the back door to the stables, a magic blast slammed like a arrow shot to the second man's breastbone, sending him crashing back into the stable.

"Arel, release!"

The dog immediately did so, moving swiftly inside towards where Yuuri's two horses stood waiting for departure. All the other horses shied away from the large canine, but neither of the black and white pair of horses even so much as snorted in protest as Arel dropped to his haunches to wait patiently for the next command.

Soon Yuuri was strapping the saddlebags into place on one of the horses, hooking a lead rope into the horse's bridle and lead both horses away from the stall. Slipping up onto the black stallion, he reached out an arm for Conrart, his obsidian gaze meeting the dazed one of his companion.

"Right now… you have a choice." His voice was soft as he regarded the man their eyes meeting for a long moment, his hand still outstretched towards Conrart Weller. "You have every right to hate me. It appears I'm the reason you were wounded… and for that I'm truly sorry. I would never want someone to get caught up like that in my work… especially not someone… with a good heart like you."

Tugging the lead rope forwards, he was gesturing to the second stallion who carried most of their few belongings. "We can part ways now. There is enough supplies to get you back to the Great Demon Kingdom… enough money to be secure finding lodgings and another healer. Or…" Yuuri swallowed hard as he suddenly felt a lump forming in his throat, one he couldn't quite explain that closed its talons around his heart and squeezed like a vice. He desperately didn't want this man to leave, even though they barely knew each other, there was something between them, something he had craved for so long. "Or you can come with me. We both might end up dead by the end of this journey… I can't promise you anything other than… what we would be doing is not for personal gain…"

His heels dug into the horse's sides, keeping the stallion still as he saw the touch of indecision in those cinnamon eyes. Even though Conrart had every right to call Yuuri out on all of this. The dark haired man desperately hoped that his trust and faith in Conrart was not misplaced. That whatever sparks burned between them could become something far more, something worth exploring.

And much to Yuuri's release, the large calloused hand closed around his own, squeezing his fingers warmly. A grin spread across Conrart's lips quickly, his expression showing his fierce determination. "Try and see if you can get rid of me."

Answering the man honestly, he felt the strong arms coil around his body and the warmth of Conrart's powerful body press against his back, soothing his soul with merely his presence. "I would never want to."

With that, they plunged out into the night, Arel at their heels.

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><p><strong>YAAY^^ I enjoyed that! *hugs people who reviewed* I love you all!<strong>


	3. Part 3: Promise

**Author's Note: I'm alive! or at least XD this story is most definitely! Sorry about the rather slow update. I was just finishing off my longest running fan fic and well now I can have more time to devote to this story! Sound good? I thought so! **

**Disclaimer: I sooooo own Arel. XD  
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><p><strong>The Woods, <strong>**Samiria**

Warmth tickled across the nape of Yuuri's neck, the fine hairs being blown back and forth lightly by each exhalation of breath of the man riding just behind him. Conrart's head was an intimate weight against his shoulder and throat, strong arms coiled around his waist beneath the edges of his cloak and he had to admit, he liked the man there. One gloved hand dropped down to lightly stroke across the back of one powerful forearm, his palm lingering over the back of Conrart's own, tempted to lace his fingers through his companion's.

How was it… that he felt more of a connection with this man than he had with any other? There was just something that, some undefinable thing that sung silently between them.

A soft groan escaped Conrart and his fingers did slip forwards, lacing intimately with Yuuri's tucked beneath his own large palm, holding it tenderly, thumb sweeping across the leather clad palm gently. Head lifting just a little from the slender shoulder, he blinked once, body still too exhausted to put up much of a struggle and he allowed his cheek to drop back down against the warm fabric, his long hair sheltering his features from the biting cold of the night.

"Yuuri."

The man's lips parted at the silky whisper just inches from his ear, his obsidian eyes drifting closed for a moment, heart pounding wildly. "I…" Swallowing hard, he shifted slightly in the saddle, feeling Conrart's body slide even more firmly against his back, their bodies fitting so perfectly together.

"I must have fallen sleep." Conrart nuzzled his face back in where it pressed against the pale expanse of Yuuri's throat, inhaling the sweet scent that lingered on his skin, his lips lightly touching against where it was still warm from where his face had been pressed against it. "Sorry."

"No trouble at all." Eyes sweeping their surroundings, he was relieved to flickering lights burning through the darkness, the twinkle of candlelight revealing that there was another village no more than a handful of minutes away. "How is your wound?"

"Mmmh."

Yuuri almost wanted to laugh at the soft reply breathed against his skin, he could feel the slight curve of Conrart's lips, telling him that his companion wasn't quite asleep. "Are you teasing me?" Twisting his head slightly to try to get a better look at the handsome face tucked against his throat, but found himself staring into smoky cinnamon eyes, ones that sparkled with an emotion that Yuuri couldn't quite name.

"I might be."

A flush actually did run across pale cheeks delicately, his lips parted slightly obsidian eyes dropping to those lips before he swallowed convulsively. The heat that simmered between them seemed to melt away the cold that had invaded their bodies. A gloved hand lifted up to cup Conrart's cheek tenderly, his palm stroking lightly against it before realising what he was doing, dropped his touch and turned back towards the dark trail that weaved its way through the dark forest.

The black shadow of Arel moved passed them, the large wolf hound turned his head to look up at them, almost giving them a wolfish smile, clearly aware of what was happening between the two men.

"What are you grinning at, Arel?"

Glacial blue eyes only seemed to laugh at him in response.

* * *

><p><strong>Aldirwin, Samiria<strong>

"This." A wrapped bundle was carefully placed before Conrart Weller as he sat at the table in their shared room in the ramshackle building that passed as an Inn in the small village. "Is what I 'stole'." Pushing it across the smooth wooden surface, he dropped back down into his chair, his features schooled, his dark gaze sweeping over the other man's features.

Carefully drawing it all the way towards him, he unfolded the protective leathers from where they shielded the item within from the harsh elements. They slipped back to reveal a blade, ornate and shimmering with a thousand tiny crystals that were intricately woven into its hilt and sheath in a style that had clearly been produced by a member of the Demon Tribe.

"_Technically_ they stole it first." Yuuri offered.

Fingertips lightly brushing over the blade, his skin tingled from where they brushed against the metal, it was like a jolt of hot electricity had scorched up through his nerves and into his arm. Instantly his hand withdrew, gazing down at the blade with a new interest, his brows lifting as his fingers still twitched and tingled with the left over _power_ that had run through the limb. "A holy blade?"

"Yes."

"But it is of Demon Tribe design and manufacture…" Using the edge of the leather wrap to carefully turn the blade over, he studied the design with the eye of someone who was familiar with weapons of a number of makes from both Demon Tribe and Human weapons smiths. "Folded dragon scale."

Yuuri reached out both hands across the table and picked up the sheathed blade, carefully sliding the wickedly sharp blade from its cover and twisted it between his fingers, lifting it edge on so that the curved unsharpened side was facing Conrart, revealing the fine seam where the two edges of the dragon scale had been secured tightly together by a row of tiny nails. "You have a good eye for weapons."

"My father taught me." He admitted softly, leaning in to get a better look as Yuuri held it up for his examination. "The crest." Surprise flickered across his features as he almost itched to reach out and touch the familiar pattern, one that he had known from birth.

"Von Voltaire." Twisting the blade, it was slipped back into its sheath and set back down onto the table before Conrart. "I was hired by Lord Nicholas Von Voltaire to retrieve both this blade and the sword, they were both stolen by the bandits you saw from Lord Griesela Geigen Huber." Lips pressed together as his obsidian eyes swept over the face of the man before him, relaxing when he saw recognition again spark in the cinnamon eyes of his companion. "Unfortunately, I managed to trace this…" A finger lightly tapped the hilt of the blade, but he frowned slightly, his expression troubled. "It wasn't just the weapons that were stolen, Geigen Huber also disappeared soon after he sent a message about the attack."

"Huber is a skilled fighter." Conrart remarked softly, brows drawing together thoughtfully as he gazed down at the blade and the thousands of tiny green stones, in hundreds of different shades of the Von Voltaire colour.

"You know of him?" Yuuri pounced on that, his obsidian eyes sweeping over Conrart's features.

"Only in passing." And silently Conrart wanted to keep his 'noble' heritage to himself, for once in his life he wasn't been treated as either an errant Princeling or the half-breed he was. Even though he possessed some magical ability, his younger brother Wolfram had more magic in his little finger than Conrart had in his entire body.

"There is far more to you, Conrart Weller, than I will ever think I will understand." His expression softened as his gaze took in the man's features for a long moment. Reaching into the waterproof bag at the side of his chair, he was soon lifting out a map and carefully unrolling it, weighing down the curling edge with the neatly re-wrapped dagger. Though he gave the man a long rather interested stare for a moment. "But I hope I will get the chance to at least learn a little." Before his gazed dropped back down to the map before him, eyes sweeping over the landscape that it depicted. "This is Lelwin where you were attacked." A finger tapped the slopes of some mountains that stretched north towards the coastline. "We are here in Aldirwin."

Conrart studied the map and had to appreciate just how intelligent and resourceful the man across from him was. On the map were the locations of the reported ambush on Geigen Huber and also some of the Bandit hideouts that Yuuri had managed to locate. All of it was exactly what Conrart had needed, despite his injury he had to admit that the entire puzzle intrigued him almost as much as Yuuri Shibuya did. The beautiful Double-Black was a mystery all on his own.

However much he might not have personally liked Griesela Geigen Huber for his extreme views on humans, he was still _family _and no one deserved to be a captive to the men who had ambushed him and left him bleeding in the snow.

A hand covered the back of Conrart's, squeezing it softly, thumb stroking against the side of the man's fingers.

Cinnamon eyes jerked upwards from the map to regard Yuuri with surprise.

"You're not alone."

There was a soft whine and Conrart found his lap full of Arel's large black head, glacial blue eyes peering up at him with warm pleading and affection. The large black wolf hound making it clear that Conrart was very much a part of their small family even though they knew barely anything about each other, their emotional connections didn't lie.

Dropping his free hand to rub his fingertips just behind Arel's ears, he turned his hand under Yuuri's and squeezed the man's fingers. "I'm with you."

"Do you know..." His cinnamon eyes closed after a moment, uncertain whether Yuuri could sense the human within him, the taint of his human blood flowing through his veins.

"That your half human? Yes, I knew." Drawing Conrart's hand to his lips, he dropped a kiss against it, delighting in the way the man's eyes darkened as they watched him lightly brush a kiss against every fingertip slowly.

"Does it not offend you?"

Raven brows lifted at that, as did one corner of that perfect mouth, the soft pink lips twitching slightly. "Offend me?" Obsidian eyes swept every inch of Conrart with an appreciation that was definitely not hidden this time, the dark gaze reflecting the desire that simmered just beneath Yuuri's skin. "There is nothing even remotely _offensive_ about you."

Conrart shifted in his chair, visibly swallowing as he was the target of such open and honest desire. How had he gained such a thing from someone as intelligent and beautiful as Yuuri? His mouth was dry, his cinnamon eyes slowly becoming smoky as his gaze dropped from those darkly enchanting eyes to the lips that definitely demanded attention.

Others had looked at him with interest before, women and men, Humans and Demon Tribe, with lust and hungry in their eyes. It had all been the same, the slightly drunken haze of pleasure the only reward. The nameless, meaningless pleasure of the flesh and he had hated it. He had hated every moment of it, there had truly been nothing more to him than that. There hadn't been very much to him for a long time. He was a hired sword, a vagabond… a _rogue_. At one time he had had an attitude… so much anger and rage, a few years alone had washed that right out of him, leaving him numb and completely empty.

In the eyes of his family… he had had no value. A man who was untameable and uncontrollable. And he had shattered his mother's heart with his _anger_.

"We all deserve second chances."

"…What…?" Conrart croaked, his cinnamon eyes lifting to those beautiful ones that captivated him in a way nothing else ever had.

"We all deserve second chances, including you." Yuuri gave him a wry smile that did speak of understanding, of something trapped within this man's past that had changed him completely and given him insight into Conrart's own soul. "I can see it in your eyes. Your guilt and regret."

"I want…" Cinnamon eyes gazed into obsidian and found himself trapped in their jewelled depths, trapped within the brilliance of them. What would it be like to have this man love him? What would it be like to taste that mouth and know that he would always find peace when he slipped into those welcoming arms? Could he prove himself to be more? Prove himself to be worthy in both Yuuri's eyes and his own? He was being offered a lifeline. He wouldn't be abandoned. How many times had Yuuri offered out his hand to him? "You."

There was a sudden rhythmic thumping by their feet.

Conrart's eyes dropping before he caught the look of delight fill the obsidian gaze to the large dark head that was still happily parked in his lap. Arel's glacier blue eyes sparkled with mischief. The large canine's tail wagging happily as if it had a life of its own.

"Yuuri?"

"_Yes_."

The wolf hound only gave a sound of what sounded almost like laughter at the comical looks on both of the men's faces.

"I like your dog."

"And he likes you too."

* * *

><p>A smile tugged at his lips as sleep slowly began to slip away from his mind and body, this was the second morning he had been fortunate to wake curled against Conrart Weller, more like… the powerful body was curled along the curve of his body, arms looped protectively around his waist and…<p>

An erotic little moan escaped Yuuri, when he became aware of one positively marvellous fact. The swordsman slept in the _nude_. Every inch of that glorious tawny skin was pressed against his own, the overly large shirt he had pinched from those he had gotten for his companion had ridden up from mid thigh to somewhere near his hip and. Squirming slightly, he pressed back and his rear pressed against something hard and throbbing which twitched a little when a slight pressure was applied to it.

Warm lips pressed against the back of one of Yuuri's shoulders, a stubbled cheek rubbing lightly against the exposed skin where the shirt had slipped down his arm and off one shoulder. "Good morning." It was a husky rumble, the rich brandy words tickling against Yuuri's ear. "Are you wearing my shirt?"

"I might be." Lips quirking slightly, he melted into the warm embrace he was being given. "Did you bring your sword to bed?" Hips rubbing sexily back against the rather obvious arousal pressed against him, he couldn't help but admit it was stirring something inside himself, his body responding to the sensual pleasure that sung between them in that moment.

"I might have… does it bother you?"

"Not at all." Rolling slowly, Yuuri lifted his face upwards and was rewarded with the sweetest kiss he had ever experienced, lips were tender against his own, moving silkily across them. It was not demanding, just attempting to express the strong emotions that vibrated between them. There was no demand to satisfy the quiet throbbing of their bodies, no rush to hide what was between them and Yuuri admitted he liked it.

Reaching down between them, his palm found the rather… 'excited' part of his companion's anatomy and lightly brushed his fingertips across the length of it, delighting in the way the cinnamon eyes darkened to a smoky chocolate flecked with tiny silver specks. Sliding his thumb from base to head, Yuuri was impressed at both the feel and texture of the length throbbing against his palm.

One calloused hand rubbed lightly against Yuuri's thigh in response, tickling from just behind his knee to just below his rear, sliding back and forth in response to the gentle exploration Yuuri was doing. "Do I meet with your approval?"

"Oh yes." Head dipping in, his mouth pressed a soft kiss against the centre of Conrart's chest, just over the man's heart, the frantic beat tickling his lips.

There was a soft 'woof' from the end of the bed that got a shout of the canine's name from Yuuri's lips as the young man was sitting up the sheets and blankets sliding away to reveal that Yuuri was indeed in a half buttoned up shirt that belonged to Conrart and looked utterly adorable in it. Both of them realising the canine had been sitting on the end of the bed actually watching them with amused curiosity.

"Off!" A finger pointed to the floor as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, his grip sliding from Conrart's length, making the man positively groan at the loss of contact.

The large black wolf hound bounded from the end of the bed and onto the floor, sitting on his haunches and giving Yuuri a positively amused look, head cocked in that adorable way. Bright blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

"You _planned_ that." Yuuri growled, meeting the canine's intelligent gaze. "Didn't you?"

Arel responded with a canine grin, tail wagging contentedly, clearly unrepentant. Clearly having timed his 'good morning' for just when Conrart and Yuuri were getting quite interested in each other.

"I swear you are like a child." Huffing adorably, Yuuri rolled his eyes. "Impossible!"

"I will get you back for that." Conrart growled low at the canine, cinnamon eyes flashing as he rose to follow after where Yuuri had gotten to his feet, an arm locking around slender hips and the man's head ducked. Butterfly kisses were being pressed from the small of Yuuri's back upwards, the long silky braid bumping lightly against his jaw. The shirt lifted with his action, before he let it drop back down and nuzzled Yuuri's throat, catching an earlobe between his lips and lightly teased it between his teeth. "And I'll be getting you back for stopping."

Yuuri's hand lifted upwards, lightly catching the side of Conrart's face, holding the man's head just there, his head tipping to the side and allowing the man to continue his nuzzling. "I look forwards to your… _revenge_." Obsidian eyes closed as he just enjoyed the sensation of those hands moving over his body softly, the brush of calloused palms learning his body slowly for those few moments before reality came crashing back.

Clearing his throat, he turned his head to press a small kiss to the corner of the man's lips. "As much as I would love to remain here all day with you, Conrart… we have a Geigen Huber to find… You're well enough to travel…" And there was no reason to linger as much as he wanted to, he had a job to do and the man might be in serious trouble.

"You are right." Conrart's eyes closed, hiding the smoky colour that was dark with desire that had been well and truly stirred. "It cannot wait any longer." Though he felt a flutter of delight run through him at the fact that Yuuri wanted him like that, that their morning play had shown that both of them were willing and wanting what lurked unspoken between them. "When we have time."

"We will continue this, that I assure you is a promise I definitely intend to keep."

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><p><strong>Adventure next chapter! YEP! We have some bandits to track down!<strong>


	4. Part 4: Bloodties

**Author's Note: TADA! More chapters ^_^ Happy universe! Hope you like it!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: Own Cambrel, Arel, Emalia and Darius.  
><strong>

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><p><strong>The Woods, Samiria<strong>

Both of them paused in the snow, their horses nickering just behind them as Conrart studied the tracks that peppered the night's worth of fallen whiteness that had been crushed down into icy patches. His gloved fingers traced the edge of one of the prints, checking its depth and size, "I would say at least six bandits, a dozen horses at least. Most heavily loaded down." His gaze swept the tracks with curiosity for a moment before glancing towards Yuuri and catching the glimpse of anger burning in those obsidian depths as he looked down at the prints. "Yuuri?"

"Monsters." He breathed, swallowing hard he reached out to curl a hand into Arel's collar, drawing the large black wolf hound to him, his cheek pressing against the glossy head for a moment, as if drawing comfort from the contact with his companion. "They are still doing it."

Conrart wanted to ask exactly what his companion meant by that, but the haunted shadows that flashed across that beautiful face made his tongue still before another question could escape him. _Trust_. Conrart knew it was what Yuuri had given to him despite the fact that Conrart could blame Yuuri squarely for the attack on himself. Yuuri had opened up his life to Conrart, letting him in on this instead of sending him on his way. His hands remembered the feel of warm skin beneath them, the caress of the beautiful man's fingers running across parts of him that had welcomed it.

"They must have taken him for the trade." Yuuri whispered the words to Arel, holding the animal close, fingers rubbing behind one ear, wishing that he could shake the suspicions that plagued him. He knew that Griesela Geigen Huber was alive, he was far too much of a prize for someone to out right kill him if they at least saw his clothes or other things. A cold tendril worked its way up from where it had settled into his belly like a blackened stone, leaden… Bile wanted desperately to run up his throat and out.

His pale features turning snowy white, when he caught sight of something glittering in the snow no more than a dozen feet from him. A flash of obsidian black and delicate green set within a circlet of silver.

A despairing cry was torn from him as he lunged forwards, almost stumbling across Arel who yelped at the sudden motion, Yuuri's gloved hands lifted the delicate bracelet from the drift beside the trail. Every inch of Yuuri was suddenly trembling with the force of a hurricane, his obsidian eyes burned with such emotion, the air becoming charged with magic as if someone had just flipped a switch.

"_ANIMALS_!" Yuuri's bellow echoed off the tree trunks, sending any creature close enough to hear him skittering away in fright. The anger that Conrart had glimpsed several times before was there in each line of Yuuri's body, his body shimmering with the faintest of blue glows, magic rippling off him. The silver bracelet was lifted to his lips, his obsidian eyes closing as two tears trailed down his cheeks, freezing on his skin before they could soak into the lining of his white cloak. "_Nika!_"

"Yuuri?" Conrart crouched down beside the dark haired beauty, his stomach twisting sharply at hearing a name being torn from his companion's lips. Was…? His heart sank like a stone to the bottom of his ribs and remained there. Could someone already claimed Yuuri's heart? "What is it?" Hands stretching out towards the other man, he was cautious, not wanting to spoke the pale and trembling Yuuri Shibuya.

"He has her."

"Who, Yuuri?"

"My… my _brother_." He spat the word as if it was the most vile thing on the planet to him. "I wouldn't put it past him to have organised all this."

Now that completely stumped Conrart. _Brother_? This puzzle was getting larger and he knew he was missing most of the pieces.

"Darius." Yuuri edged closer to Conrart, close enough that his head could finally drop forwards and onto the broad chest, his forehead and knees the only part of him that touched the other man, but it was all the comfort he would allow himself.

Instantly strong arms wrapped loosely around his slender shoulders, holding him there, warm and reassuring but not tugging him forwards, willing to allow him to come those last few inches and enter the safety of Conrart's embrace. Hands gently squeezed his shoulders, supportive and gentle.

It was exactly what Yuuri needed right then and the words came out of him in a rush. "My adopted brother, Darius… he threatened to take her… my… sister, Nika…. _Nikola_. He swore he would the moment I thought she was finally safe. He already took Cambrel from me… now he's taken Nikola." His hand clenched around the fine silver bracelet that rested in his palm, he lifted it carefully so that Conrart could see the fine letters etched on the inside of the bracelet. _Forever Family, Juli. _"I have to find her." His chest heaved sharply with pain, a pain that was emotional and speared right through his heart. "Darius… is a Blood Trader."

Conrart jolted hard, his cinnamon eyes widened at the use of a term he had only heard in passing and suddenly it was his turn to feel extremely ill. "Huber…"

"I suspect they have him. They might have only wanted what he carried at first… but he's a pure blooded noble. He's valuable to them as long as they can tame him, otherwise he'll be used as food for the beasts."

"By Shinou's sword." Conrart shook his head slightly, the sickening wave of nausea touched his own belly at the fact that he knew stories of Blood Traders and none of them were good. His father had spoken about them on many an occasion, warning him of what would happen if anyone noticed him in the human lands as being more than just a human. He had made that mistake in the fight in Lelwin, no matter how much use his thin barriers could be against the enemy, their use was definitely not something he would repeat in human territories. Blood Traders were the reason there were so few half-breeds were left in human territories, they had been rejected by the societies that had produced them and been easy pray for the bandits and slavers that made up the Blood Traders who supplied human nations with people for the slaughter.

There was so much more to the story, so much more to the entire tale of what had happened between himself and his three adoptive siblings. A story that left him chilled to the bone and unable to look into Conrart's eyes. He was almost as much of a monster as Darius for what he had almost done, the shame still rested heavily upon his soul.

"We'll get her back." Conrart gently lifted one of Yuuri's gloved hands, curling the fingers together lightly before sliding the bracelet down over them and around the surprisingly slender wrist. Drawing it upwards, he touched his lips to the bared skin between his shirt and glove, hoping desperately that he could keep that promise to Yuuri. "I swear, Yuuri, I will be by your side until she is with you once more. You have my solemn word on that."

Yuuri's dark gaze misted over a little with deep emotions that rose in response to those gentle words and he was reminded a little of his brother Cambrel. The gentle nature and the protective streak that ran through Conrart like a vein of pure gold through quartz, bright and pure despite whatever might cover it.

"That means a lot to me."

Shifting those last few inches in closer, his glove hand lifted upwards to brush against Conrart's cold flushed cheek, sliding the supple leather across the tawny skin. His mouth found that of his companion's, their lips felt cold against one another, their breath mingling in a flutter of white wisps that slipped upwards into the frosty morning air. The cold lingered until Conrart's tongue slipped across his lower lip, burning hot and slipping into his mouth as a hand caught the back of his head, cradling it lightly as he devoured Yuuri's mouth. It was scorching, when their lips parted, the heat flowed between them, a live wire crackling with what was between them, raw and magnificent.

The black wolf hound looked rather amused at the pair as Arel sat silently, tail twitching with amusement, but this time he didn't interfere, just content to see his partner happy, even amidst such sorrow and snow.

"What is it you do to me?" Yuuri breathed softly, their foreheads touching lightly, his chest rising and falling quickly as he tried to draw enough air into his lungs to alleviate the light-headedness he seemed to be suffering from. "Since the moment I met you… I have not been able to shake this _feeling_."

"Feeling?" Fingertips swept the long wispy tendrils of raven back from the beautiful face, tucking them behind one of Yuuri's ears lightly. "What kind of feeling?" Their lips were brushing, an intimate slide of damp softness.

"You want me to admit it out loud, don't you, Conrart Weller?"

A smile touched the corners of his lips, hearing the sexy little purring growl that ran through Yuuri at the intimacy they shared as if both had been born to it. "I wouldn't mind hearing exactly what it is I do to you."

Suddenly Yuuri's hands curled into the thick silky brown locks, dragging the other man's head down and into a kiss that made the first seem like something tamed. Their lips met and crushed together, branding them both in that moment with something that neither could quite understand, mouths and tongues brushed and tangled, warring each other for dominance. His gloved fingers tightened, their breath shared as that kiss left them both panting with its raw intensity.

"_Guess_." The raven haired man said with a grin that put the sun to shame with its radiance.

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><p><strong>Rheine, The Border City, Sicambria [Thirty Years Earlier]<strong>

_"Julius!" _

_Obsidian eyes blazed with emotion, his body spinning around, his long raven locks swaying wildly around his shoulders and framing his beautiful face as he regarded the man who stood before him. His head tipped back slightly, the boy feeling dwarfed by the six and a half foot tall frame of the man before him, staring into the toffee brown eyes that regarded him with concern, he backed up a step. _

_"Please, listen to me." Cambrel's expression was deeply troubled, the rich fall of chestnut locks fell to his shoulders, expression softening as he reached out a hand for his younger adoptive brother and had it pushed away. _

_"How could you talk about Darius like that?" Black eyes were wide and almost heart-broken as he backed up a step, his entire body stiffening slightly. "He's our brother! How could you say he's a… a Blood Trader?" _

_"Juli." The man entreated gently. _

_Shaking his head furious, he stepped back, his entire body tense. "Darius would never do that, he is helping those men and women. I saw him getting transportation for them… he purchased food and clothing for them with his own coin." Another step, Darius was waiting for him. He had promised his brother he would meet him for noon meal and he was already late because he had returned with the items from the markets for Nicola, his older sister. _

_"Please, Yuuri." He pleaded massive hands wanting to catch the slender shoulders of the youth who stood before him, the child who both Nicola and himself cherished more than anything. He had been a gift to their grieving mother, a bright little light when their Human father had died of old age, leaving behind his children and ailing Demon Tribe wife. _

_A soft gasp escaped the boy at the sound of his true name being spoken by his older brother, a name that none of his siblings used unless attempting to convince him of something. He was Julius __Reinhardt, youngest of Emalia Reinhardt's four children. It was who he was and who he always wanted to be. "Don't, Cam." _

_"Yuuri Shibuya." Large hands caught at slender shoulders, holding the boy in place, his expression deeply troubled and clearly hoping to be able to convince the stubborn youth of the truth. "You will listen to me when it comes to Darius. He is in with a bad lot, I might not have physical proof of his guilt of what I suspect he is involved with, but for once, you will obey me in this. You will not assist Darius in his 'rescuing' of people. I am your older brother..." _

_"As is Darius!" Fighting hard against the powerful grip on his shoulders, he finally managed to escape, his obsidian eyes wide and disbelieving. "I can't believe you would do that…" That his brother would pull 'rank of birth' on him like that, attempt to forbid him from something that he couldn't understand that was going on between Darius and Cambrel. "I love you, Big Brother, but you're wrong! Darius would never do those things… Darius helps people and I want to be like him." _

_"Yuuri!" _

_But the boy had already taken off into the crowds of people that were passing by their home. _

_Cambrel only hoped desperately he wasn't going to be too late to prevent what he knew was going to happen. Darius had always been jealous of the fact that all of them had been intensely protective of the beautiful Yuuri since he had come into their lives. He had been the sunshine in Cambrel, Nicola and Emalia's world for so long, someone that warmed their hearts even when grief over the loss of Emalia's human husband. _

_Hopefully, Cambrel swallowed. Hopefully he was indeed wrong about what he suspected his brother to be doing and using Yuuri for. Yet, he knew in his heart that he was right and he needed to do something about it. _

* * *

><p><strong>Cellar, Bandit's Hideout, Samiria<strong>

"Please swallow." A soft feminine voice whispered softly against Griesela Geigen Huber's ear.

The cool metal of a spoon lightly touched against his lower lip, something tickling against them, his lips parted and liquid slowly began to slide into his mouth, quenching a little of the dryness that seemed to fill his mouth with sand. Another mouthful was soon being offered to him, he didn't quite know what to do other than to obey the silent whisper of the woman whom knelt beside him.

His shadowed blue eyes slowly began to drift open, blinking a little as the flickering light of a candle filled the darkness around them. Huber's vision swam and dipped dangerously, his breath rasping in and out of his lungs, broken ribs creaking in protest at the movement. Pain radiated from every part of his body, throbbing and tearing at him the inside out, reminding him of the fact that he had been beaten within an inch of his life for trying to escape.

Something abruptly filled his vision, a shadow of white and toffee appeared before him. Slight blinking slowly began to bring into focus the face of an angel. His heart skipped a beat as wide toffee eyes stared up at him with such worry and concern that he felt himself practically want to melt. A part of him idly wondered if he had not died after he had been left in the dank, freezing cellar, because such beauty did not exist in the land of mortals.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something… anything to the beauty before him, but only a rough dry croak escaped him, voice cracking and splintering like dried wood.

Slender white fingers pressed against his lips, silencing the sound that wanted to escape him, her head shaking lightly, wide gaze begging for him to remain silent. "Don't try to speak, save your strength."

That sweet voice was exactly what he had expected from a lovely maiden like her. Though as his eyes studied her face, he noticed the dark bruise that ran the length of one of her pale cheeks, a rage like none he had ever known seared through him at the sight of a mark of violence upon her skin. The anger swelled within him that someone would raise their hand to a woman, especially one as kind as this one.

His hand slowly rose upwards, a fingertip lightly touching against the purplish black mark that ran across such velvety soft skin, his shackles clanked heavily with the movement, his long dark charcoal locks falling into his eyes, the matted strands streaked with blood and grime. He was more than likely nothing to look upon in the state he was in. Huber's slate blue eyes held a questioning glint in them, silently asking who she was.

"Nicola." She whispered softly, her wide toffee eyes taking in his appearance for a long moment, before she swallowed slightly. "Someone will come for us. My brother will come for us."

"I already have." A harsh rasp sounded from the doorway somewhere above them, the wooden stairs creaking beneath the weight of the man who slowly came down them to stand in the dank space with them. The tall figure of a man was silhouetted in the pool of light that filtered down from the room above, his eyes glinting the same toffee brown as Nicola's own. However, the handsome face of the man was marked with vivid scars that ran down across the length of his face and throat and gave reason for why his voice was so husky and raw.

Nicola actually managed to find her feet, her stubborn chin lifting and she stood before the battered and beaten Huber without so much as an ounce of fear, her toffee eyes burned with defiance. She was no kept woman, she was a spitfire who would lie down when pushed by even the monster that lurked in their family tree. "You are _not_ my brother."

"You _wound_ me, Sister." A smirk caught the edge of his lips as he stalked towards her, a hand catching her jaw and yanking it painfully upwards and forcing her to look at exactly what had happened to his face. "You would deny me? You would deny our _family bond_?"

"I will always deny you." She breathed, not flinching from the powerful slap to her jaw, which drove her to the ground with a soundless cry.

Huber immediately jerked hard at his chains, wanting to go to her defence even though every part of him screamed in raw pain at what had been done to him. A snarl would have escaped his lips, his eyes burned like a lightning lit thunderstorm raging with such fury.

"I've heard of you, Griesela Geigen Huber." Darius Reinhardt stepped over his sister with distain evident on his face before he stopped before the raging man. "I wonder… would you still fight to protect her if you knew she was a half-breed?" Dropping into a crouch before Huber, the man smirked when he saw the flash of reaction in the noble's eyes, the flicker of disgust. "So it is _true_. You and I are not so different."

Confusion flickered through Huber's features.

"I hate scum like you, _Demon Tribe_. So superior with your **magic**… I find it such a delicious thing to know I can both rid myself of your race and also of the half-breeds you so detest and get paid for my efforts."

"You're a half-breed too, Darius." Nicola lifted her head from where it had been resting against her arms, another flare of colour streaking her beautiful skin.

A snarl cut through the space, Darius turning on her with cold murder burning in his eyes. "Do not test me, Little Sister. Do not think that _Julius_ will ever manage to rescue you. I will prove to you I am stronger than either of them, I'll prove…"

"Coward."

And he reached out to strike her again, but she managed to duck just in time, her body trembling with the force of her grief and emotions. "You will learn to hold your tongue, Nicola. It will be the only way you will remain _alive_. Cambrel and Julius were weak and should never have allowed you too…"

But there was a loud thumping from up the stairs and a bellow of Darius's name and the man snarled another curse before heading up the stairs again and slamming the door, the lock being clicked into place on the other side, leaving Nicola and Huber in the dark together, both uncertain what to expect from the other.

* * *

><p><strong>Nicola in this story for the purpose of plot XD and because I wouldn't have the heart for Huber to lose the love of his life, she's a half-breed. 3 I hope you like the plot ^_^<strong>


	5. Part 5: Fated

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay on this chapter! I wondered exactly how to introduce several things in this chapter. But I think it turned out rather well. I hope you guys like it XD I always wanted to try turning the tables on Conrart and Yuuri and have their ages reversed XD even though Conrart remains the dominant character, I always wanted to see what it would be like if Conrart was a bit innocent and Yuuri was the confident older one in the relationship. **

**Disclaimer: Own Nicholas Von Voltaire and Cambrel! **

**Ages: I thought I would give approximate ages for everyone in Frozen Heart. (appearance age, true age) Based on the rule that Demon Tribe are 5 times older than they look. Slow developers? LOL  
><strong>

**Conrart: 15-16 (79 years)  
><strong>

**Yuuri: 22 (110 years)**

**Gwendal: 20 (100 years)**

**Gunter: 18 (90 years)**

* * *

><p><strong>[95 Years Earlier]<strong>

_"Yuu-Chan!" _

_The voice was distant, half muffled by the water that was clawing at his body, his waterlogged clothes weighting his tiny form down and sucked his head under again. Cold liquid slid down the little boy's throat while he struggled to breath, ending up only drawing more down into his burning lungs. _

_Splashing. _

_Screams from the shoreline and on the wharf where he had fallen off the end and into the water. The noises swallowed by the lake, by the sweeping wash of blue that filled his vision, slowly becoming his world. The voices were indistinct and warped. _

_He knew he was going to disappear into the dark water beneath his feet, it was tugging at him, drawing him almost invitingly downwards. Bubbles escaped from between his lips, buoyed up towards the surface like tiny pearl droplets. He stared at them, wondering exactly where they had come from. Yuuri's vision swirled, growing slowly indistinct as his three-year-old body struggled to find air and was rewarded with nothing. _

_Suddenly there was a hand curling around his own, just as small, and there was someone above him in the water, silhouetted against the sunny blue sky on the other side of the watery barrier. Raven locks fanned out from around the vague features of the small face gazing down at him. _

_Sho-Chan? _

_His tiny fingers squeezed slightly around the hand that gripped his own, yet, slowly his were sliding out of the grip of the person who had attempted to come after him. His thick woollen parka was soaked through, absorbing so much water that it was like a leaden weight around the little boy's chest. _

_Or was it Ken-Chan? _

_He didn't know. _

_Something tugged at his shoes, making him look down again and into the gaping maw of a whirlpool that suddenly swallowed him whole. _

_Blackness swept his vision, several long dizzying moments of nothingness. Of utter weightlessness and… _

_Large hands suddenly caught him beneath the arms, plucking him out of the water and lifting him upwards into a sweet scented summer air. A handsome face peered down at him in shock, a pair of beautiful toffee coloured eyes widened as he choked up water, a whimpering little cry of fear escaping him. His body was abruptly cradled close to the chest of his rescuer, his tiny arms wrapping around the warm neck, as fingers rubbed along his spine attempting to ease the water from his longs and mouth as his head dropped forwards against the strong shoulder. _

_He closed his eyes tight against the light, clinging to the strong youth's neck like his life depended on it, and when finally air swept into his lungs he let out a tiny wail of fear. A calloused palm stroked across the back of his head, smoothing down the soaking black locks that clung to his pale face. _

_"Its alright, I have you." _

_"Cambrel?" A little girl was suddenly standing on the bank of the river, her soft brown locks framing a pretty face as she blinked up at her eldest brother and the little boy whom was clinging to him as they stood in the middle of the river where Cambrel had been fishing. _

_"Get Mother, Nika, hurry now!" _

_"Okay!" She chirped, before darting off back towards where their Mother sat with the rather grumpy Darius further along the riverbank. _

_"You'll be alright, Little Fish." The teenager grinned down at the dark haired child who blinked up at him with something close to awe. "I've caught you now." _

* * *

><p><strong>The Woods, Samiria<strong>

The ear piercing scream jerked Conrart hard and he already had his sword in his hand as he jolted upwards from amongst the thick furs that were tucked close to the fire, his cinnamon gaze scanning the cave for any hint of danger. Finally his head turned towards the source of the frightened cry, Yuuri was trembling hard beside him, the older man looking as if the entire world had shattered around him.

"Cambrel!" Yuuri's voice was ragged, his obsidian eyes wide and staring at Conrart without truly seeing him. "Cam?" A broken sob slipped past soft lips, his hands reaching out towards Conrart.

"Yuuri?" His free hand reached out to curl around the outstretched ones, capturing them both in his palm and drawing them upwards against his stubbled cheek, rubbing lightly at them and felt the tiny quivers twitch through both. His heart clenched, a spark of raw jealousy flaring through him, it was selfish, unreasonable, but hearing Yuuri call for another twisted his heart into knots.

And it was with that one split second of acknowledgement that Conrart Weller _knew_. He knew that there was no one else in the world that could ever quite match up to the beautiful man beside him in his heart. It might not quite be love yet, but he would wager that it would be. Swallowing convulsively, his cinnamon eyes widened as he just took in the beauty beside him. Pale skin was flushed from sleep and coloured gold by the flames of their fire, long waves of raven strands spilled down over bare shoulders and pooled around his waist as he sat there. Those dark eyes were starting to clear and gaze up at him with such a lock that it stole the breath right out of his lungs.

"Conrart." Blinking rapidly to push back the tears that wanted to spill out, he stared up at the tawny skinned swordsman beside him. Fingers curling around the hand that held both of his own, his brows drew together in confusion while he caught the unidentifiable look that crossed and darkened those cinnamon eyes as they gazed down at him. "I'm sorry for waking you… I just…" Shaking his head slightly, he gave his companion a wry smile. "Had a nightmare."

"Its alright, no harm done." Carefully sheathing the sword again, he tucked it back under the edge of the blankets at his side, before reaching out to lightly slide his palm through the long raven strands, smoothing them back away from Yuuri's cheek and behind an ear. "You know I would protect you with my life."

"I know its part of our…"

"_No_." Conrart shook his head. "I _want_ to be here with you."

Yuuri was startled by those words and didn't know quite how to respond to them, his heart however fluttered with excitement. Though his head turned towards the other side of the fire, he was relieved to see Arel curled out on one of the saddle blankets, head down and resting on his paws, nose tucked beneath the tip of his tail in the most adorable manner.

"You are the first person to truly see… me." Without knowledge of where he had come from, what he had done… of his heritage. Not even Yozak, a man he considered a friend had ever seen past the fact that he had been born the son of the Maou and of a human noble. "And…"

"I like what I see." Yuuri offered a warm little smile to his companion. His gaze however trailed down from Conrart's face down along the expanse of tawny skin to where his hips were still covered by the thick furs, the corners of his lips immediately twitched upwards in amusement and with a spark of hunger. "Do you want to tell me… why you're out here, Conrart and not with your family?"

"If I said I didn't wish to speak about it…" He hesitated, throat working slightly.

"I wouldn't push. I admit I really do want to know everything there is about you, Conrart Weller, I want to know where you grew up, if you had a family that cared for you… what it is that drives you to travel human territory…" Obsidian eyes softened as he took in the man's expression. "Conrart, anything you say will not change the way I look at you. I won't judge your actions. Who you are now and who you were are two separate things."

"How can you be so understanding?" Calloused palms stroked across warm cheeks, tipping that beautiful face upwards and dipping his head down to slant a soft kiss against willing lips. "Second chances."

"I did something I regret more than I can ever say. I should have listened to someone who meant the world to me and I didn't and he… he died because of me."

"Cambrel?"

A slight nod. Yuuri leaned into the touch, his eyes closing and just leaning into the warmth and strength of his companion. "He was the one who found me in the river as a child. Fished me out and refused to hear of anyone suggesting I be given away to anyone. He was the eldest of Mother's biological children. Then there was Darius and Nicola. He always tried to look out for me and he warned me that Darius was working with the Blood Traders… but I refused to listen to him. Its my fault he died and when I found his body…" A shiver ran down through him, remembering the sight of Darius standing over the limp body of Cambrel, a bloody knife in his grip. "I…" He remembered his rage at what he had found, the pure anger that had surged out of him like a flood and… "I did something I will always regret. Nicola was the one that put me back together after it and I swore that I would do everything I could to protect my sister. Its why I cannot give up on her, no matter what the probability of me finding her alive might be."

"I… I left my family." Conrart hadn't talked about it to anyone since he had turned his back on his family and left with only the clothes on his back, a few coins and a sword. "I was frustrated…" And once he started, the words clamoured to get out of him. "I was so _angry_. I was the half-breed."

Eyes closed tightly against the cascade of memories, leaning forwards, he felt the warmth of Yuuri's arms sweeping up and around his shoulders, drawing him in and cradling his head against a warm shoulder. Fingers stroked across his head and massaged his nape softly, soothing the tight coils of stress and strain that were painfully tight in his muscles.

"I lashed out at everyone around me… including my mother. My little brother looked up at me with such disgust… such distain…" A muffled cry escaped him, his shoulders trembling with the force of his overwhelming emotions and the young man burst like a cracked dam, tears burned his eyes and streaked down across his cheeks, dampening the white skin beneath his head. He was being rocked slowly, Yuuri offering a gentle compassion in that motion that eased everything. "I was… no better than dirt to most. _Filthy_ _human_…"

"You were born into one of the noble families, weren't you?" Yuuri had suffered a little of the hatred himself from others, had seen the brutality of both Demon Tribe and Humans towards half-breeds, but it had to be far, far worse the more aristocratic the family.

"Yes. My mother…" Guilt and searing hot remorse stormed through him. "I said such things to her… such terrible things… I hate myself… I… I hurt her so badly with my words." And Conrart's cinnamon eyes were wide, shimmering with tears as they gazed into Yuuri's face, desperately seeking something… anything that would ease the clawing pain within his breast. "I left. I abandoned my family and I ran. I couldn't stand it… I couldn't stand the words… the whispers… the…"

"Oh my Love." Yuuri tugged the larger man in close, head being pressed beneath his chin as he stroked his fingers down the curve of Conrart's broad back, feeling the tremble in those powerful limbs. "My sweet Conrart." And he saw in the moment the true age of his companion, for all his big bones and powerful form, Conrart Weller was no more than… no _older_ than he had been when he had made such a devastating mistake.

"I want… I want to feel like I belong." A shaky sigh escaped him, a hand rubbing hard in an attempt to brush away the tears that streaked his face, clenching his jaw slightly and sank into the warmth of the blankets, his head rested across his companion's thighs. "I feel that with you and Arel. You… treat me like I belong…"

"You do belong with us, you will always belong here." And the older man knew in his heart he felt the same way.

* * *

><p><strong>Castle Voltaire, Voltaire Lands, The Great Demon Kingdom<strong>

Gwendal's back stiffened as he regarded the closed study door for a long moment, his jaw clenching sharply, his expression revealing little of the bubbling anxiety that burned its way through his heart as he regarded the heavy oak panel before him. It was rare that he was summoned to Castle Voltaire, even rarer that it was by his father's personal command. His fingers lightly touched the note that had come to him at Covenant Castle, feeling the imprint of his father's seal upon the wax.

His hand lifted to knock, but he hesitated a moment, a lump of lead pressed hard in the bottom of his stomach, making him feel almost nauseous. It was well known, Nicholas Von Voltaire had little time for anyone or anything unless it served a purpose in his own plans and designs.

"Come in, Boy."

Gwendal's hand jerked back, his cobalt blue eyes widening at the roar of sound from the other side of the door.

"Do not keep me waiting."

Steeling himself, he reached down and twisted the knob and stepped into the vast book lined space, his eyes sweeping over every inch of it, committing it silently to memory as he shut the door behind him and straightened. Even at a hundred years of age, he still could never shake the deep dwelling fear that scorched through him being around the man who could claim the other half of his paternity. He knew as surely as he had with Dan Hiri Weller that nothing he could ever do would be good enough for his Father, nothing would ever prove that he was worthy of the man's attention.

There by the windows a tall figure dominated the room with his mere presence alone, shoulder length charcoal hair was streaked with silver, the powerful form only a touch hunched with age. When he turned, intense cobalt blue eyes regarded Gwendal from behind glass lenses with a cold calculating gaze.

"Do not just stand there, Boy, come here and let me get a good look at you." The voice was a deep rumble, like thunder rolling across the plains around Castle Voltaire.

Gwendal felt his hands fist at his sides, but he did manage to walk forwards and stand before the man who seated himself at a massive desk that sat before the wide windows, his lips pressing together giving Gwendal a rather speculative look. He felt like a pinned insect under a magnifying glass, however, he straightened, wanting one word of praise, one word from the man before him to know he was somehow acceptable in some small measure.

"You filled out well." Nicholas remarked, before giving a slight nod of mild approval. However, his gaze flickered towards another chair nearby and regarded the strikingly beautiful young man who sat there, his lavender-silver eyes lifting to Nicholas's for a moment before dropping to the floor having only glanced for a moment at Gwendal. "Does he meet with your approval?"

"I…" Silky lavender strands swayed around the young man's ears, a pale white hand tucked several of the longer ones back behind and ear when they dropped into his eyes. "Lord Von Voltaire…"

"You desired an alliance with my family." Nicholas lifted a quill, the pointed end almost stabbing towards the young man with a firm and decidedly unshakeable movement. "I offer it to you here and now."

Gwendal's heart dropped suddenly in his chest, his cobalt blue eyes widening as they flicked from his Father towards the young man whom still had not quite managed to look at him. He knew it was not uncommon for arranged marriages to occur between the ten noble families, it was nothing strange at all. Yet, to hear the words so coldly spoken crumpled what little remained of Gwendal's heart. He was as he had always been to his father, a tool to be used. Fingers curled into fists, his jaw clenching, anger stirring within him and he felt like he had as a teenager facing off the men who invaded his home on the nights that Dan Hiri Weller had 'parties'.

But what could he do? He answered to the man before him. Even though he was the son of the Maou it did not give him protection from the one that had a claim of blood on him.

"Is he amenable to the idea?" Those lovely eyes glanced towards Gwendal with a touch of worry in their soft depths.

"I will do as my Lord wishes." Gwendal's reply was quiet and resigned, his cobalt eyes closed tightly his heart truly shattering somewhere in his chest. Was this… what his brother had felt? Some little part of him couldn't help but cringe at the deep guilt he harboured about one of the reasons his younger half human brother had run. Some part couldn't blame him either for leaving behind this reality.

"As you see, there is no need for you to concern yourself over such trivial things, Lord Von Christ. I will have the papers and other things arranged quickly and the trade agreement settled before the night is out." Nicholas was the same as ever, stoic, unruffled by anything and treating the people around him like objects to be accorded value and traded when necessary. "_Boy_, you will see to our guest's needs, any he has."

He knew well exactly what was expected of him when his father spoke like that. All he could do was nod just once, knowing he couldn't fight, knowing he could not rage against his father, because all that would do was bring down everything onto his head. His father's wrath was not something he wanted to endure.

"Also, I have a task for you." A letter was swept across the table towards Gwendal, the carefully worded script one he had seen several times before on his Father's desk. He knew it was a message from his father's most trusted spies, a surprisingly talented Sicambrian man by the name of Julius Reinhardt, though he had caught a mention that the man just might be half Demon Tribesman. "You will meet with Julius in Rheine and retrieve the Voltaire Dagger he has in his possession. I also have instructions for him concerning other matters." Though it was clear he wasn't about to admit to the fact that Griesela Geigen Huber was what those 'other matters' entailed.

"As you wish." He bowed his head once, before glancing towards Gunter for one quick moment before staring back down at his father's desk. "May I be excused, my Lord?"

"Go." Nicholas waved at Gwendal as if dismissing someone who was not worth his time or effort to converse with, turning back to his books and notes without so much as another word to the other noble in the room either as Gwendal moved away quickly, wishing for once he had never come to this place that had never been home to him.

* * *

><p><strong>The Woods, Samiria-<strong>** Sicambria**** Border **

Snow sprayed upwards from the wheels of the large wagon that bumped and rattled along the trail, four bandits rode on horses surrounding it, all of them clearly human from their scent and colouring. Shouts and grunts filled the air in a language that Conrart was unfamiliar with as he stood on one side of the trail, shrouded by the trees and lingering fog that hovered close to the ground.

His cinnamon eyes lifted up to spy Arel and the white cloaked figure of the beautiful Yuuri, the man sat astride the horse with a confidence that attested to his age and familiarity with this kind of situation. Though Conrart was adept with a sword, he was not with the magic that tingled through his body, most didn't even know he could use magic, it had only started appearing during the four years he had spent in human territory. Catching the slight nod of Yuuri's head, he whipped the horse up into a frenzy and was charging down the steep side of the hill where the rode forced the wagon and riders to go single file between two sharply cut banks within the steep sided gully.

Three against the world? In that moment, Conrart felt like it really could happen when he looked into Yuuri's dark eyes and saw the deep trust reflected in there, a belief that Conrart could do this. That despite the odds against them, they would definitely not fail in finding what they sort in that wagon.

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><p><strong>Action definitely next chapter! Fight scene and everything! Magic included.<strong>


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